(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container packed with instant food to be cooked by a microwave oven which allows a solid instant food such as instant chow mein and instant macaroni to be reconstituted to its original cooked state with good texture in a short period of time when the food is cooked in a microwave oven without the need to drain hot water after it is cooked.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Generally, instant chow mein is made ready for eating by first pouring a large quantity of hot water on the noodles so that the noodles are warmed by the hot water and are reconstituted to their original cooked state and then by adding liquid soup or powder soup provided therewith after excess hot water has been removed. Thus, the above-described style of preparation of instant food involves the troublesome task of draining excess hot water after the noodles have been softened. Further, the food is heated only by the hot water poured onto it, and therefore it is not properly restored to its original state and the cooked food is somewhat unappetizing. In consequence, it is absolutely impossible to cook such instant noodles or spaghetti if they are thick and have a chewy consistency.
In order to cook such instant noodles or spaghetti having thick noodles, it is necessary for the noodles to be boiled in a cooking pot or other container, while being stirred. In addition, there is a risk of the water boiling over during cooking, making the preparation a very demanding task.